Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California · Page 12

-THE UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL- Clinton seeking to relax use of pesticide on processed foods WASHINGTON (AP) — In a move long sought by the agriculture and chemical industries, the Clinton administration will ask Congress to undo a blanket ban on cancer-causing pesticides in processed foods, an administration official confirmed today. Instead the administration seeks a standard that would allow small amounts of carcinogens if the government determines they do not pose a significant health risk, said Environmental Protection Agency special assistant Ann Hardison. Confirming the description given by interest groups who had been briefed on the administration's new food safety package, she said the administration proposes to use a "negligible risk" standard for cancer-causing pesticides, the same as EPA uses for non- carcinogenic health risks. EPA interprets that to mean a risk of one added cancer case for every million people, but would not make the numbers part of the law because "ten years from now science may tell us something different than one in a million is appropriate," Hardison said in a telephone interview. "Our goal is to move to a more health-based standard to setting residue levels on pesticides," she said. As to the impact on the public, she said, "They're getting better protection" under the policy changes envisioned. Safety Initiative She called the carcinogen standard "a very small part" of a broader food safety initiative being prepared by the EPA, Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration that would: • Set a uniform health-based standard for allowable pesticides on food, instead of using different risk assessments for health effects other than cancer. • Reform (he pesticide registration process to move biological and other safer pesticides to the market more quickly. • Set a specific schedule to periodically review the safety of pesticides already in use. • Make it easier to reduce or change uses of a pesticide when health concerns are raised about it instead of having to go through a lengthy review process first. • Prohibit export of pesticides that are banned on crops in this country. The proposal on cancer-causing pesticides would overturn the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which prohibits even negligible amounts of carcinogens in processed foods such as applesauce, ketchup and juices. Already, environmental and consumer groups who were briefed by government officials Tuesday and Wednesday are condemning the move, while the Grocery Manufacturers of America and other industry representatives who attended separate briefing sessions praised it. "We cannot accept a reform package that undermines a central public health concept embodied in the Delaney Clause," said Jay Feldman of the National Coalition Against Misuse of Pesticides. "If we allow that provision to be repealed, we undermine the longterm goal of getting cancer-causing pesticides out of the food." "We feel strongly that carcinogens should not be in the food supply," said Polly Hoppins, director of World Wildlife Fund's agricultural pollution prevention project. But she applauded some other aspects of the administration's plan as a "good start." Positive direction Mark Nestlen of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture said the administration was moving in "a positive direction to make the changes in pesticide regulation that have been needed for several years." The food safety legislation proposed by the EPA, FDA and Agriculture Department is to be presented at congressional hearings on Sept. 9. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., have proposed amending the pesticide law to allow the one-in-a- million cancer risk while broadening and toughening the law in other areas. Fanning, grocery and chemical industry groups have long maintained that modern monitoring equipment can detect such tiny amounts of a pesticide that foods with perfectly safe residue levels are being kept off the market. They argue the 1958 Delaney Clause is out of date. EPA in the past skirted the law by interpreting it to mean that carcinogenic pesticide* could be approved if they poaed only negligible health risk. FRI., AUG. 20-SAT., AUG. 21, 1993 — B-1 LARGEST PROJECT EVER Groundbreaking signals $22 million Glass Beach development on coast By CHRIS CALDER for The Journal Ground was broken recently on the largest construction project in the history of Fort Bragg. With earthmoving equipment roaring in the background, a gathering of city officials, local developers and a future business tenant of the spot turned over a couple shovelfuls of earth and described the progress of the Glass Beach development in optimistic terms. A partnership headed by developer Dominic Affinito is expected to invest more than $20 million over the next several years in the combined business- residential complex covering 25 acres. The city of Fort Bragg's redevelopment agency will spend approximately $2.4 million on street and utility improvements. That work is expected to continue through November. Steve Holmes, proprietor of the Holmes Lumberyard, which promises to be the development's largest business tenant, joined in the ceremony. For decades, Holmes' father, Fred Holmes, operated lumber businesses on the land bordered by Main and Elm streets. The Holmes business moved outside city limits in the mid-1970s. Steve Holmes said he looks forward to bringing the yard back to its original site. City administrator and redevelopment agency executive director Gary Milliman noted that construction and new businesses on the Glass Beach site are expected to bring more than $33 million in city tax revenue over the next 34 years. According to developer Affinito, most of the project's first phase will be construction of the Robert Affinito, Mario Affinito, Dominic Affinito, Steve Holmes and Gary Milliman watch as Fort Bragg Mayor John Clmollno turns over some dirt to kick-off construction of the Glass Beach project. Holmes lumber yard. He also mentioned negotiations for another retail business proposed for the corner of Elm and Main streets. If successful, that would make up the second phase of the project. The third phase involves building homes, apartment and condominiums, a total of 200 housing units. Affinito plans to form a consortium of local builders and start with a few model homes. Depending on the housing mark- et, the availability of water, and other local conditions, "we'll try to build homes to fit the locals' needs. I don't know if that's attainable, but that is-our goal," he said. Mothers' diets linked to kids' brain cancer risk BOSTON (AP) — Mothers who eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and vitamin C during pregnancy appear to lower the risk that their children will develop brain cancer, researchers reported today. The scientists set out to test the idea that eating smoked meats and other foods high in nitrates, nitrites and nitrosamines during pregnancy raises the risk of this cancer. However, they found no sign that these substances were bad. In fact, a high intake of nitrates actually appeared to reduce the risk of childhood brain cancer called primitive neuroectodermal tumors. While the study did not identify any foods that convincingly seemed to raise the risk, it identified several that appeared to lower it. .However, such studies cannot actually prove cause and effect, and some hidden factor other than food could have accounted for the differences. URIAH VALLEY MFDIC:AL c Welcome D. JEFFREY WEIL, M.D. Hand, Vascular 6- General Surgery Dr. Weil is a board certified hand &amp; general surgeon, and has specialty training in vascular surgery. 620 S. Dora St., Suite 102 Ukiah, CA 95482 For appointments, please call 463-1900 uEci MEDICAL CENTER WALLPAPER 25-40% OFF (selected brands) Prepare Your Home For The Holidays with our J SEPTEMBER SALE! ALL FABRICS 25%OFF BLINDS &amp; SHADES 50-75%OFF [selected brands) 90 DAYS FINANCING AVAIL. 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